URGENT: Take Action Today to Oppose South Dakota Transgender Bill

HB1195is an act to declare void the transgender policy of the South Dakota High School Activities Association and to establish a determinant in identifying a student’s sexual identity for the purpose of participation in high school athletics. HB1195 would set the student’s sexual identity as the sex noted on the student’s birth certificate.

Yesterday afternoon, March 9, a motion was made by Sen. Greenfield to smoke-out HB1195 so the full Senate can debate and vote on the bill. We needed 12 senators to support the smoke out, and 13 did support it.

HB1195 will be voted on in the senate this afternoon. At this point, we do not have the required majority (18) YES votes to pass the bill. It is a sad reflection on our senate and our state if this good bill cannot pass.

The policy adopted by the SDHSAA would allow, for example, a boy who feels like a girl to play on the girls’ team, share restroom and shower room facilities, motels for on-the-road games, etc. HB1195 would repeal that policy.

Sen. Greenfield described the policy of the SDHSAA as “far reaching and as radical as any policy could be.”

The SDHSAA has gone beyond their purview in adopting this policy. Their main job is to schedule athletic events.

The so-called religious exemption is faulty and would bring a lawsuit if a faith-based school forfeited a game because of religious tenets.

Discrimination action would result in “sensitivity training.”

Take Action: Click here to contact your state senator and urge him to vote YES on HB1195. Provide a respectful and brief reason for your position. Put “Vote Yes on HB1195” in the subject line. Or you may phone the Senate lobby at (605) 773-3821 and leave a message for your senator.